Inspirations
by DW fanatic
Summary: Titled for the fact that this will hopefully be a series of stories inspired by songs I've heard. Rated for safety and is subject to change. 2nd oneshot up.
1. The Winner Takes It All

Hey guys, this is the first in what may be a series of one-shots, based on Songs. This one is based on ABBA's The Winner Takes It All. You may or may not realise that I posted this a while ago, but took it down. I've since reposted it; enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own neither the Dynasty Warriors nor ABBA and The song The Winner Takes It All. They belong to Koei and Benny and Bjorn respectively.

Warning: In the following story, There are references to a relationship between two males, so if you don't like, don't read. Otherwise, let me know what you think!

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The Winner Takes It All: 

"For the last time, I'm fine." Why won't he leave me alone? And why does he keep asking me if I'm alright? He's broken my heart, of course I'm not alright, I'm devastated! But I can't tell him that and he knows it. I really wish he'd just leave me alone.

"You don't look alright Junyi. Please just tell me what's wrong." He sounds so genuinely nice. I just want to kill him.

"Fine. You really want to know what's wrong? Well, you've broken up with me not even a week ago, and you're announcing your engagement to that-that-that… woman!! You're not even affected by the end of our relationship! I'm dying inside and you couldn't be happier! That's what's wrong! There. Now you know. But what can you do about it? Nothing…" I couldn't talk anymore. I was overcome with emotion, and I'm doing the one thing I'd promised myself I wouldn't do in front of _him_: cry. He stood there watching me, not knowing what to do.

"I told you nothing was wrong because I didn't want to talk about it, it's over. Next time I say nothing's wrong, take my word for it." I couldn't say anything more. I turned and started to walk out of his huge ornate bedroom. He was calling for me to stop, but I kept walking.

"I command you to stop. Disobeying a direct order is an offence!" He shouted.

He's _threatening _me? He has the _nerve_ to _threaten _me? I turned around and stared him straight in the eyes, with a look that could have stopped the great god of war, and he flinches a little.

"Then have me punished. You can't hurt me anymore than you already have." I turn and keep walking. He doesn't try to stop me anymore.

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"I'd like to propose a toast, to my son, Cao Pi, and the lovely Zhen Ji, who are soon to be wed. I wish them well. To the happy couple!" Cao Cao raises his glass and cheers for his son. 

"To the happy couple!" All warriors present, including myself, stand and raise their glasses, and drink to _their _happiness. They then all sit and begin to eat. I can't bear to be sat next to Zhen Ji. The rumours were right about her, her beauty does indeed rival my own. But I am the more radiant. And that's what I can't understand. Why is Cao Pi obsessed with her? Was I not enough? Am I not beautiful enough for him?

"It is a wonderful night, don't you agree?" Zhen Ji turns and speaks to me. Her voice is soft and gentle and unlike her cold, hard features it gives some indication as to her personality. And although she is really a wonderful person, the prospect of sitting next to her all night made me sick.

"Excuse me, my lady, but I feel ill." Is all I can say before I stand and run from the banquet hall and to the safety of my room.

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"Zhang He?" She is knocking at my door, calling my name and pretending to care about me. Why has she followed me? I can't bear for anyone to see me like this. I'm a mess. 

"Lady Zhen Ji, I am fine, I just feel a little ill, I'll be fine in the morning." I call, but she won't go away. I hurriedly fix myself as best I can in the mirror on my dressing table, try to remove any traces of emotion and tears from my face, and fail miserably at both. I unlock and open the door and Zhen Ji walks timidly in.

"Cao Pi told me that you and he-" She started, but I interrupt her.

"What happened between he and I is over. We were an item once, but those days are gone. You've won his heart, and by doing so broken mine. Lady Zhen Ji, you are helping no one by being here. Go to Cao Pi, at least he wants you." I know, that last remark was a little harsh, but she deserves it.

"I'm sorry, I never meant for this to happen. Just so you know, I don't want Cao Pi's affection. I didn't ask for it. But who am I to argue, I'm only a woman." And with that she leaves, to return to the banquet.

I am in shock. Cao Pi has left me for a woman who doesn't even want him?!? I am overcome with rage, despair and jealousy all at once. I rip the magnificent butterfly ornament from my head and hurl it at one of the walls, screaming as I do so. What have I done to deserve this??

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Walking back from his room, I can't help but wonder at how the gods have punished us. We were once so close, but fate drove us apart. I have lost so much this year. I lost my friend, my husband, my family and my pride. Why did I have to be so god-damn beautiful? My face is my curse, not my blessing. 

Zhang He obviously loves Cao Pi, and he hates me for taking him away, but I didn't mean to! It's not my fault! I didn't want this. I haven't had time to mourn my first husband, and I'm being forced to take a second.

"I'm sorry, Zhang He, I truly am. But there's nothing I can do. After all, I'm only a woman." And also, who am I to complain? After all, in the long run, aren't I getting the better end of the deal?


	2. I Remember The Boy

Heya, this was inspired by the song "I Remember The Boy" By Lea Salonga.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dynasty Warriors. Koei do.

Warning: Character death.

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I Remember The Boy:

There was nothing else she could do. She had been hoping for a miracle that would never come. She had always known that it was futile to hope that he could ever truly love her, but she had been determined to try. And even though she had failed time and time again, she hadn't realised how hopeless her situation was until the day she had received his last letter. Fury rose to conquer her despair yet again. How could he do this to her? Had she truly done anything so bad in her life that she deserved this? It was the ultimate insult; the ultimate rejection. Her fury dissolved almost as quickly as it had come.

She felt another tear hit her hands, now folded in her lap. And she thought she had run out of tears. She looked up at the sky, cursing whichever God was cruel enough to watch her suffering so much. She tried to clear her mind, but only succeeded in thinking back to how her fate had led her to the place she now sat.

The circumstances were all out of her control. She had married her first husband because her parents required it of her. As her father put it, it was unheard of for a woman of her age to still be unwed. People would talk if she didn't marry soon, people would start to think she was flawed in some way. So when the dashing son of the Han retainer had asked for her hand, she had accepted. And the wedding had been stunning. It had been perfect; everything a wedding should be.

She had never loved any man the way she loved him. Then he had been killed when he, his father and his brothers had been defeated in battle. It still hurt to think about the day she heard the news. Her calm façade had dissolved, and she had sunk to the floor, her legs failing her. And there she had stayed for some time, swatting away the hands that tried to help her up. In the end she had dismissed everyone and stayed on that floor, crying. She didn't know how long she had been there, but when she felt two hands helping her up, she hadn't resisted. She had let him help her to her bed, and she had slept then, too drained to do anything else.

And then, adding insult to injury, she had to marry the son of her husband's murderer. That wedding had been entirely different to the first. And how she had gotten away with wearing black she'd never know.

A soft rustling brought her out of her reminiscing. She stood and walked quickly out of the palace gardens. She walked down corridors, turning left, then right, then right again, climbing stairs, and then turning the handle to her room. Well, the room she shared with Cao Pi. Since she had received his letter she had had the room re-decorated to match her old room. The room she had shared with the man she had loved. It really was amazing what you could get done in a short amount of time.

Her handmaidens were sat at the end of the bed, their instruments ready to play. She walked over to her bedside table and picked up the glass that she had left there before she had walked down to the garden. She twisted it in her hand, chuckling bitterly. Oh well, there was nothing she could do now. The poison was probably already in her blood, working on her brain and heart. Her heart. How it could still beat was a mystery to her.

She sat on the bed, before moving to lie back in the middle of the big double bed. Her long jet black hair was still in the ornate peacock headdress. She reached up, taking it out of her hair and she threw it out the window. She wanted nothing in the room to remind her of that man.

She looked over to her handmaidens.

"Get Zhang He." Her voice was barely audible, but one of the maidens jumped up and ran out of the room. She nodded at the others, and they began to play softly. She lay back and closed her eyes, letting the music wash over her.

_I have to stay awake. Hold on. He'll be here soon._

"Ji?"

Zhen Ji opened her eyes and looked over to the door, smiling softly.

"What's wrong? You look pale." Zhang He walked over to her, and she held out the letter she had crumpled in her hand.

"You sound worried." Zhen Ji said, watching his face as he read the last letter Cao Pi had sent her.

_My voice is so soft now. The poison is definitely working. Not long now my love, I shall be with you soon._

"When did you get this?" Zhang He asked, looking up at her sharply.

"A few days ago."

"Ji?" Zhang He looked around. "The room, it's just like the one…" His voice trailed off. He looked around, the glass on the bedside table catching his eye. Gasping, he practically ran around the bed to get to it. He lifted the glass to his nose and smelled it.

"When did you drink this?" He asked.

"Too long ago for anything to be done."

"Why?"

"That's one question you should already know the answer to." Zhen Ji closed her eyes again. Her eyelids felt so heavy. "He doesn't love me. And I don't love him. All this time I was just fighting the inevitable. I was afraid. But not anymore. I have nothing left to lose. Except you."

"I'm here. I'll always be here. Whenever you need me."

_When did he take my hand? Or am I imagining the gentle squeezing?_

She opened her eyes and looked at Zhang He once more, and laughed. It was a sad laugh.

"You know, I can't really remember the feeling anymore. I can remember him, but I stopped feeling his love long ago. He was the only love to love me like that, and it's the one thing that I can't remember, no matter how much I try." Zhen Ji felt her eyes water.

_Not again. If I keep this up I'll die of dehydration before the poison has had a chance to work._

She heard Zhang He chuckle softly. When had she closed her eyes? And had she spoken aloud?

"Zhang He, can you do something for me?"

"Anything." Came the soft reply.

She opened her eyes and looked up at her one remaining friend. He was looking down at her, his beautiful face was gentle, and his eyes were filled with tears.

"Okay, two things. Firstly, don't cry, please." At this a tear spilled out from the corner of his left eye and ran down his cheek. Zhen Ji lifted a hand and wiped it away, smiling sadly at him. "I've done enough for the both of us."

He nodded, wiping at his eyes. "Okay, no crying. Done. What else would you like me to do?"

"Sing to me." She closed her eyes and relaxed. She knew that her eyes would never open again, and she didn't care. She was with the one person that mattered to her in this life, and she was on her way to the one who mattered in the afterlife.

_Yuan Xi, I'm coming my love. I hope you're ready._

She could hear Zhang He singing her favourite song. It was one of love and loss. As his calm, melodic voice rose and fell with the notes he was singing, she listened for as long as she could. She could feel him stroking her head gently, running his elegant fingers through her hair. And she could hear his voice shaking with the emotion he was on the verge of letting out. But he was holding it back, he wasn't going to cry.

_It's okay Junyi. Everything is okay._

And for her, everything was. She was back in her old room, trying to stay up for Yuan Xi. But she never managed to stay awake. 'Some things never change,' she thought, smiling.

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Please review and tell me what you thought! 


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